Team Work
by Quocalimar
Summary: I do not own Naruto, the show, or the character. This is a work of fiction.  The First chapter to a story involving Naruto and some great trackers. but overall will they work together? Kiba, Neji, and Rock. With only hints of Naruto, or allusion to him.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Team Work

Naruto decide to go out into the wild with a few people he knew were excellent trackers. He Chose Kiba, for his excellent sense of smell, Neji, for his Byakugan, and Rock Lee, for his tremendous speed, which would surely test him.

"Alright gang, listen up," Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, from ten feet away. "This is going to be a challenge for all of us, the goal of this mission is to both, better my Ninja hiding skills, and your tracking and catching ability." Naruto pointed to a sun dial on a nearby pillar. "When that sun dial reaches twelve, the search will begin, until that time, workout your strategy.

With those words Naruto began his journey into the forest, laying behind him traps and decoys to throw off the strongest senses.

"Okay, it's clear that I am the leader, for my superior sight so everyone listen to me," Neji said in a very cocky manner. "No I should be leader, Naruto smells and Akamaru and I'll find him in a snap." "Yes, but when you are face to face with 1000 Naruto shadow clones, while the real Naruto is far gone, who will be able to snag him? The answer is simple, it is I who should be leader so as to position you in ways to capture, our elusive foe" said Rock. The gang bickered and argued about who should be leader for seven of their ten minutes to come up with a plan, before Kiba and his best friend stated, "Fine I'll catch Naruto my damn self" "No it is I, Rock Lee, the fastest and most brilliant, and best looking Ninja to ever grace the lands of The Leaf Village, who will catch him" Neji only had this to say, "Sorry, but one fact is simple. I am a genius, with an I.Q. on a level you feeble minded Neanderthals couldn't even process, and fate has been written once before with the great finale being this, me catching Naruto."

On those last words of 'who is greater' the three lone wolves headed off into the forest in search of Naruto.

{A/N} this is a Woo original that will be progressed into a longer story with more chapters. R\R


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Team Work

The Clones

The crew had all gone their separate ways, but due to their uncanny ability to find Naruto, they would often merge paths. "Oh smart plan, leader" Kiba yelled to Neji sarcastically. "Follow me and you'll find the smelly one in no time, and then beat me down to capture him yourself." Way up ahead, Rock could be heard saying, "Wrong! Dog boy, he followed me" Neji cut into their squabble to say, "You two are idiots. We are excellent trackers following the same stupid idiots." "You think I'm a good tracker" Rock said, tearing up. "Well, I just mean from the average standpoint."

The three once again split, following different signals, to the knuckle head ninja, they've been tracking. "You two are going the wrong way, Naruto's foot prints are all over these branches, you can't disguise that, no matter how hard you try." Neji called out. "Yeah but a stench this strong could only lead to the original source" replied Kiba. "You two are both wrong, I just saw the very unskilled one up ahead."

Lee followed ahead on his path until he eventually caught up to his target, "I got you Naruto, now come easy or this is going to get ugly." "Oh yeah, well, Shadow Clone Jutsu" Naruto shouted the words as a barrage of Naruto duplicates bombarded the quickest Ninja and began attacking him from the trees. Punches and kicks were landed and clone after clone would disappear in a puff of smoke. Finally he defeated the last of the clones and reached out very swiftly for the orange haired boy. Just as he grabbed at him the boy also disappeared in a whiff of smoke. Rock sat there befuddled as to how a clone could create clones, but in the trees he found his answer. Loads of broken branches and trampled leaves sat in the nest of the Naruto clones. "Crap! How was I sent into a trap?

Meanwhile Neji followed his trail of damaged branches and foot prints to his target. Finally he came upon his prize. "Ahh, Naruto. You should have known you couldn't lose a genius such a s myself. So hand yourself over to me, or face my 64 palms" Neji boasted. "Make me" Naruto taunted, as he ran off. "Get back here, you goofball." Neji yelled from beyond the trees. Just as he did, he could see a kunai barreling at him from his peripheral vision. He dodged it but only to be caught off guard by three shuriken. Neji quickly pulled out his own kunai to counter the shuriken, now to find more kunai, and shuriken coming at him from all sides. Neji went in to hyper byakugan mode to start countering the weapons left and right. Just out of the corner of his left eye, he spotted an orange jumpsuit, and began darting toward it. "I've got you now!" He yelled as he flung a kunai towards the orange blur. The kunai landed with a poof, as the once orange figure erupted into a cloud of white smoke. 'How could I have been fooled?' Neji thought to himself, but was shaken from his thoughts by another barrage of projectiles. "Enough!" he shouted. To each spot where he saw a weapon come from he threw a kunai of his own and to his satisfaction, the trees he was surrounded by seemed to explode in smoke, and the flying weapons ceased.

Then lastly there is Kiba's encounter. "You may have them fooled with phony copies but I know a clone or an original when I smell it." Naruto stopped dead to say, "Yeah, fooling you always was harder than the others." "So what's it gonna be, the easy way, or the hard way?" Kiba asked. Naruto teased, "I knew your I.Q. was no higher than a dog's, but I never expected you to ask such a stupid question" Kiba growled as he lunged at Naruto. Naruto stood perfectly still while his attacker was a mere three feet away, still airborne, still looking to kill. Then just as his attack would have landed a wire, nearly invisible was tripped sending Kiba to the ground in a cloud of black smoke. Naruto jumped from the tree towards his attacker, ready to finish the job, but was intercepted by his foe's faithful companion. "Way to go Akumaru," Kiba yelled from on the ground. The ninja dogged latched onto Naruto wrist, sending him also to the ground. Naruto kicked off the ferocious beast, now aware of latest attacker. He began fighting with the wolf, and wolf man. Kiba would claw at him followed by Akumaru being launched off his back directly into Naruto, whom was thrown off guard by the previous attack. Dog and owner relentlessly attacked at Naruto weakening him, tearing his clothes, but never a blood shot. Naruto would occasionally get a blow in that would disorient the dangerous duo, but at long last Kiba and Akumaru land the finishing blow. The defeated Naruto fell to the ground and, on cue, fell into a cloud of clone smoke. "How can this be, we smelled him-"but the skilled wolf ninja's words were cut off when he saw the log garbed in Naruto's orange jumpsuit. "Crap! He fooled me so hard" a saddened Akumaru whined lightly to his master. "Don't worry boy, next time we'll destroy him."

The three defeated ninja began back on new routes to Naruto, now more cautious of his tricks.


	3. Chapter 3

Team Work

Work… together?

After the amateur team of trackers had been defeated so easily, they had been more cautious of the ways he would manipulate them. Naruto would send kunai from all sorts of places, trees high, the ground low, and even in the position of one of their teammates.

"We aren't getting anywhere" Kiba said, "I say we-", "Why should we listen to you?" Rock interjected, "Because, if anyone as a chance of finding him, it's me. I can smell him miles away." Beyond their bickering, Neji could be heard chuckling, "What's so funny?" Kiba asked, "Yeah, what is the cause of your sudden outburst, which is so unlike yourself?" Rock asked. "Well, just the fact that your 'oh so great' sense of smell has failed you previously" Neji stated very smugly. "Oh yeah, well Rock touched the clone, and I used my ninjutsu on one, how 'bout you?" Kiba retorted. "The answer is obvious; Naruto's clone was too scared to face me personally so he sent hundreds of clones after me." The arguing held for a good minute or two before Neji finally had the nerve to say, "Why don't we stick together?" Rock answered, "Because, we can't decide who should be leader. Are you sure you're a genius? I picked up on that fact pretty quickly." "Yes, that is an argument worth keeping at, the leader's role would anchor this team's ability, but for the time being you all don't seem to recognize my leadership prowess, so I propose we act as a team of individuals whom will act under rule by the other members" Neji boldly declared. "So you mean we follow our own rules and orders, and the groups if necessary?" Kiba asked. "Yes, but most importantly, we 'stick together'." "I guess that's a good idea" says Rock.

The team had now finally discovered a plan that would work for them, one that involved no one giving up complete control, but also to follow orders to some extent. This rag-tag band of trackers had hunted well into the night and with Rock's legs tired, Neji's eyes worn out, and Kiba and his dog's noses' exhausted, the group decided to bed down for the night. "As a team member, I propose we rest for the night, and get an early start in tomorrow." Neji shouted from beyond the two lesser trackers. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan." Kiba yelled back. "What's wrong, Neji, getting tired? I could run all night."Rock shouted. Neji answered, "Go ahead, de an idiot, but when you're exhausted the next morning, I'm leaving you here to rot." "Just kidding Neji, I see a spot up ahead that looks big enough for camp."

Rock raced ahead, using his tremendous leg power, to get an early start on camp. When the other two arrived he had already had a fire pit ready, and one tent up, working on another. When Neji arrived on site, he began barking orders, "Set up some traps for our unwanted guest, whom I'm sure is watching us." "I thought this would be a mutual partnership." Kiba said annoyed. "Sorry, but I have the eye for trap placement. Don't you agree?" "I guess. Where do you want these traps?" After Neji's orders on where trap should be placed, the group scouted the surrounding area out for signs of where to begin search on Naruto the next morning. They recorded their findings, went back to camp, and drifted the night away.


	4. Chapter 4

Team Work

Separated

This one is the beginning of a Naruto controlled ginjutstu, where the group has now been separated. No one in the group knows it though. The writing for whose story it is on will be in their respective colors.

Rock

Kiba

Neji

Rock woke first at dawn, "Rise up lazy people." Kiba followed, "Jeez, we gotta go this early." "Yes, the sooner we move out the sooner we find and retrieve Naruto," Neji said upon waking. "What will you have us do boss?" he asked, finishing his statement. "Who me?" Rock asked very excited. "Yes you. Last night I had a revelation, and I think you are more suited to be leader than me. What about you Kiba?" "Oh yeah, I totally agree. You can just lead my nose in the right direction and I'll follow." "Wow! You guys really mean it? I don't know what to say." "You could start by leading us in the direction you believe Naruto is at," Kiba said, "Just as a subordinately suggestion." "Okay, my first decree as leader of the group, is to get camp all tidied up then well head west."

The group began packing the camp's amenities away, and in minutes were whisked away west in search of Naruto.

Kiba woke first in search of food, and he arrived back at camp to see Neji and Rock packing things away. "Hey, do you two notice anything different." "No Kiba, all seems normal to me. Do you, Neji?" Rock asked. "No, I see nothing out of the ordinary." "Yeah, well I just can't quite place my fingers on it, but something is definitely a miss." Neji pulled Kiba aside and began, "Kiba, can you do me on big favor?" "Sure, what is it buddy?" "Let me be captain." "What? No way, go screw yourself." Kiba began to pull away but Neji pulled him back harder to look him in the eyes. "Kiba, please. I am begging you. I need this." The look in Neji's eyes was of complete sadness. A tear pooled in the corner of his left eye, and threatened to be loosened. "What gives man?" Kiba asked worriedly. "Kiba, I need this. I lost the throne to a weakling like Hinata, and was forced to protect her or face death; I lost a prize fight to Naruto and was left momentarily immobile; to not have this would devastate me. I promise to compensate you greatly for this when we get back, if you agree, we will out rank Rock and I'll be captain. This is the only thing I ever asked of you, Kiba, please." "Fine, you got it bro." "Thank you Kiba thanks."

The duo walked back to the nearby camp, after such a heavy speech and broke the news to Rock that now they would be operating under, Neji's control." The group, now under one leader, headed off west into the forest. "Hey, Kiba, what gives? Why would you all of a sudden give in to this?" Kiba looked ahead to their captain to see if he might hear their conversation, then looked back to Rock and said, "He needs this." "Needs this, what on earth do you mean?" "He lost his title as Leader of the Hyuuga Clan, to his weaker younger sister; and do you remember in the chunin exams when he lost that fight to Naruto, by one left hook. He feels like the world has been dealing blow after blow to him, I just figured I'd let him lead this soft mission." "Sounds like a pussy to me." "Rock that's not cool, you should have seen him. It was the face of a battered man, stripped of his destiny, and thrown into a pit of wild animals with a dagger, and told 'this is your life, fight and we might keep you'. He needs our support." "Whatever you say homo."

The threesome continued their journey all the while Kiba fought against Rock, in silence, over how immature he was being, and also against his amazing sense of smell. He would occasionally look over to Akumaru in search of some sign of disturbance but would turn back to Rock attempting to aunt Neji.

Neji woke to an already packed campsite, and saw Rock and Kiba there talking, waiting. "Why are you two up so early? Are you planning on starting a coup?" Neji said upon waking. "No, we just were thinking. What if Kiba was our leader?" "What? No, we agreed last night that this would be an equal partnership." Neji said, very angry. "See, I told you he would act this way." Kiba said as he stormed off into the forest. "Kiba! Kiba!" Neji furiously yelled into the opening in the woods. "Don't worry about him, Neji, he'll return, but in the meantime we can discuss the real plan." "What real plan?" Neji wondered. "The 'real plan' of 'you' being our leader. Kiba would act as though he is in charge and we would act as to follow, but you'll be pulling the strings behind the scene." "Yeah, then why are you telling me? Are you pulling the strings behind me?" "Of course not, you're a genius and you'd know if I was even trying, with your byakugan. It's just that I don't think we'll catch Naruto without a proper leader, and Kiba will never willingly give control over to you." "So I give him artificial power, and we do what he tells us but what?" "Well it's your show, you tell me." "Fine, I accept." "Then let's go get our figure head, my Liege." Immediately after their talk, Kiba pops out of the woods, almost on cue, and says, "So you down with the plan, or do I gotta beat it into ya." Neji smiled somewhat wickedly and in a very controlled manner he said, "Sure I'll play along. I mean be you subordinate," but then whispered to Rock, "for the time being. "Good, let's head off west." Kiba boldly spouted. "West? No we should go east." Neji commented. "Who's running the show, Neji?" Rock jumped up and said, "You are Kiba, he was just testing you." Rock looked to Neji and whispered, "Let him have this one, but when he sees he's wrong he's gonna be crawling to you for answers." Neji stood up and apologized, "Sorry for the inconvenience, captain. You are correct, let's head west, on your orders."

The group jumped high into the trees, as typical of ninja travel, and began west for their target. All the while Neji would snicker and hint to Rock on his plans for what they would soon do.


	5. Chapter 5

Team Work

Separated: Rock

Minutes into their new search, Rock was on top of the world striding through the trees proudly with his new position of power. "I am having trouble keeping the trail, Neji. Could you seek out any signs to which way he may have gone?" Rock asked the ninja with best eye sight. Neji replied, "Right away, Boss" "Boss? That's strange to hear you say." "Uh, yeah, I was just, uh, trying it out?" "Was that a question?" "Uh, no. Why are you questioning me so much? I found his trail. That a-way." "That a-way? You are talking strange my gray eyed companion." "I was just trying to get into Naruto's mind. I was pretending I was him, so I'd know which way to go." Oh! That's weird. Why would 'you' need to do that?" Just then Kiba broke up their chatter, "What's with the 20 questions, Rock. He said he was that way."

The group headed towards the path Neji pointed. They landed minutes later upon a camp where Naruto must have rested the night before. There were the groves of where his tent lay. There were ashes from his fire, and according to Kiba, he had ramen last night. "Nice work, guys." Rock congratulated, "Now find which way he went Kiba." "You got it, Rock." Kiba declared. "Are you doing the 'pretend you're Naruto' thing as well?" "What? Oh, uh, yeah." "Really? Well oaky."

Minutes later, Kiba pointed to a direction, different than the one they had been following. "That's the way, I'm sure of it. It reeks of Naruto." Kiba finally said. "Good, then let's go." Rock returned.

The group once again leapt into the trees in search of Naruto. Rock began to hear some twitching in the trees up ahead, high over head. "This way." He yelled. "I believe that is Naruto." Just as he said this he was tackled by Neji, "What gives, Neji?" Rock shouted. "Shhh, Rock. That's not Naruto it's a deadly ninja and you might give away our location."

Just as Rock shouted, the rustling in the trees began getting closer. "Oh, great. He's aware of us." Neji began, "We have to move out before he catches us." "What are you saying? You would never run from some rouge ninja, and Naruto would certainly not run." Rock retorted.

As Rock finished his accusation the rustling came to a halt as Kiba and Neji sprouted from the, once noisy, woods."What in the world?" Rock said before seeing the duplicates of his partners lunge from the trees towards his companions.


	6. Chapter 6

Team Work

Separated: Kiba

Kiba in constant battle with Rock did not notice his, team appointed captain, giving them an order."You guys!" Neji finally shouted. "I see up ahead a camp area. I think Naruto might have used it. Let's check it out."

The group went down to inspect the campsite, previously inhabited by Naruto. Neji began spouting orders that Kiba followed without question but Rock gave resistance. "Do what, Neji, Why?" "Because I said so, and I am your captain." "Yeah, whatever."

Rock began looking scrutinously for clues to which way the Knucklehead Ninja could have gone. Neji too was looking for clues. All the while Kiba had this strange feeling that all wasn't right in Kansas. "Guys, something just doesn't feel right. What do you guys think?" "I think all's well." Rock said. "Yeah, it seems find to me." Neji added. "So I'm thinking he headed this way. Let's move out." "No! I'm telling you guys, Akumaru and I have a sixth sense about things like this. Something is wrong and I can't quite put my nose on it." "What's wrong Kiba? Do you need to talk to your boyfriend about it, behind a bush, or something?" Rock taunted. "What's with you man? You've been acting strange ever since we woke." Kiba replied. "Strange how?" "Well for one, you're being a real jerk, and two-"Kiba stopped and began sniffing the air. "You smell different." He ended questioningly. "Yeah, I, uh, bathed after everyone rested." "I didn't smell any lake or river." "Yeah, I used my canteen's water." "Oh did you? Neji did you bath last night?" Neji replied nervously, "Yeah, I, uh, used my canteen as well." "Then why do you both smell the same? You smell kind of like tree like." Kiba took another strong whiff of the air. "Did you bathe my dog too?" As he said that Akumaru whimpered, then huddled close to master. "Yeah, we smell the same because we mixed the water and stirred it with a branch in some soap Rock brought." Rock cut in to say, "Yeah, and it's all gone. Oh! And we thought it'd be funny to splash Akumaru." "Is that right boy, they splashed you?"

Akumaru gave an affirmative bark and Kiba's tension eased. Just as his tension was released, so too was the group's. Then suddenly Kiba pulled a kunai from its pack and in the same motion swiped Akumaru across the back. The dog disappeared leaving a cloud of white smoke in its place. "That wasn't Akumaru. Where is he?" The two other ninja sprung back at the sudden lashing out of their teammate. "Whoa Kiba!" Neji shouted. Rock also screamed but it was unintelligible. "We don't know anything about that. Maybe Naruto swiped him in the night." Rock then finished. Just as Rock finished his statement, a kunai was launched at his head, which he deflected with his own. Neji also was attacked and avoided them the same way. "What are you doing, Kiba? We are all on the same team here." Neji shouted. "Give it a rest! I know you are all Naruto clones; I don't really care. I want my dog, where is he?"

The two teammates looked to each other, then back to Kiba. They gave a wicked smile, and then put their hands together in the style of the tiger and poofed into a white cloud. The clouds began to dissipate, and from them emerged two Naruto clones."Jeez, I was wondering how long it would take the one with the best nose to figure it out." The clone on the left of Kiba said. "I don't really care about this whole crap mission. Where's Akumaru?" Kiba shouted. "Relax, Kiba. He's safe with me." The clone on the right said. "This is not a joke, give me back my dog." The two clones, in unison, said, "Find me, I've got him right here." Before lunging at Kiba.

The two clones recklessly launched themselves at Kiba, as if on a suicide mission. He made quick work of them. The one on the left met his right foot in the chin, while the one on the right was tackled and stabbed in the chest. After defeating the cloners Kiba gave a great big howl before dashing off into the woods in search of his real comrades.

He had been dashing around among the trees when he caught a whiff of his gray eyed teammate. He followed the scent until he could hear Neji, and began shouting for him, "Neji, I'm right here you're with clones." Just then Neji popped out of the woods alone and said to him, "As if I would believe some imposters." "Yeah, well I bet I figured it out sooner." "Kiba, this is no time to argue. We've got to find Rock, but first prove to me you are no clone, and I shall do the same." Kiba pulled out a kunai and dragged it across his index finger. "Clones don't bleed." He said almost boastfully. Neji did the same and the two headed off in the direction Neji's byakugan, and Kiba's nose led them, towards Rock.

The two had given up their sneaking in the hopes to make some noise for Rock to find them by. They dashed through the woods and finally caught up to their fastest companion. They broke through the veil of leaves and came across Rock and the two clones. Rock was on the ground with Neji's hand over his mouth. In that very instant Kiba and Neji lunged towards the two imposters with intent to kill.


	7. Chapter 7

Team Work

Separated: Neji

"So here's the plan." Neji whispered to rock. "I'm going to throw a kunai, over to the direction I believe we should follow. Kiba will hear the thud, and we will go that way." "That is a most excellent plan, Captain"

Neji threw a kunai into the woods; into the direction he spotted the most tracks. "Kiba did you hear that, I think it was Naruto." "No, it was a clone baiting us." Kiba said, slightly annoyed. "Look up ahead; I think I see a campsite." "A campsite, what? No way." Neji said in disbelief. The team trudged on through the trees to the campsite that Kiba had pointed out. There they saw, the wrappers to a few ramen bowls. "See I told you we were going the right way." Kiba boasted. "This doesn't make any sense; I surely would have noticed some sign of Naruto leading this way last night." Neji said in awe. "Oh don't worry about it, Neji. I'm sure the dark was just clouding your byakugan." Rock tried to console Neji. "No! My byakugan doesn't get clouded. Light or not, I am always correct in what I see." "Just calm down." Kiba started to say, "Maybe it was a trap, or ginjutstu set by Naruto."

Neji looked to Kiba, ready to tell him off, but stopped to take a closer look. Neji inspected the wolf like ninja. Looking him up and down, before pulling out a kunai and launching it at the blue garbed ninja with deadly precision. The kunai landed against his chest with a thud and he fell to the ground. Rock began shouting incoherently, before Neji also got him in the chest. Rock fell also fell to the ground as Neji sprung from his standing position to begin slashing at Kiba. Kiba kipped up from the fetal position he was forced into, and too had a kunai. The Wolf Ninja defended himself diligently as the speedy one began on offense. Neji deflected Rock's attack, and launched once of his own, a kick to his gut, sending him flying to the ground an astounding ten feet away. He then returned his focus to Kiba whom was struggling to keep the upper hand in their little hand-to-hand bout. Neji seemed to be far more skilled, sending kicks to rock Kiba's foundation, followed by vigorous pokes to disable his foe. Kiba fell to the ground still. Then as soon as Kiba hit rock bottom, Rock was launched from his grounded position towards the skilled, chakra, blocking ninja. "Neji, what are you doing?" "You know damn well what I'm doing, clone." The last word was said with a harshness that sent a chill down Rock's spine. "You think we are clones? Why did we not disappear after being cut?" "I am still trying to figure that one out, but believe me. I am never wrong. That's just the perks of being a genius." "What are the grounds for your attack, Neji?" The two ninjas fought as they argued, Neji dominating through most of the fight, with the quicker ninja landing a blow every now and then. "You and Kiba have no visible chakra points." "Darn, now I suppose the jig is up."

As Rock ended his statement, the two ninjas became engulfed in white smoke and out stepped two Naruto clones. The one that was once Kiba was now standing, and positioned behind Neji. The Rock one was in front of Neji, and the two clones looked as though they had a devilish plan in mind. They lunged at him with kunai in hand and began violently slashing. Neji spent most of his time fending off one then the other, but when the moment presented itself, which it did, he would strike viciously. The previous Rock clone flung a kunai at Neji's head, which he ducked from but met a kunai from the previous Kiba impersonator. Neji leapt out of the way throwing himself right, and met the Rock\Naruto clone's boot. He kicked Neji towards Kiba\Naruto who kicked him back towards the other. The two clones played soccer with him, before he got wise. Neji grabbed one clone and threw him towards the other. In the flurry of kicks he lost which clone belonged to which body, but didn't really care. The clone he grabbed landed into the other and the two hit the ground and became mixed up in each other. Neji stood and faced his two attackers. The two stood next to each other and gave off another wicked smile. Neji stood there readying himself, also gathering focus for his byakugan to be at maximum efficiency. Just as he readied himself he spotted out the corner of a tree a kunai flying towards his head. He caught it and in a single motion sent it back towards its location. The shielded attacker leapt from the trees to join his clone brothers. "Three clones, how? Oh Akumaru." The three clones spread out to form a perfect triangle around Neji and sprung at him simultaneously. "Bad idea." Neji boasted, as his byakugan was ready for just this position. The three clones came upon him like Cerberus, kunai in hand. He pulled the closest one in through a downward arc, and up into the next closest one. He continued to carry the clone into the next one and after connecting his final hit he let go. The two clones that landed together, he removed focus from while he landed on the singular one. One slash later and the clone disappeared leaving a log in its place. "One down, two to go." He said with a smirk on his face. The surviving clone came at him again, in a two on one stance. A slash from above landed and a satisfied clone sprung back leaving the other to be mauled by a now furious Neji. He dug into the hidden bark with his bare hands and pulled out a large chunk of it. The clone disappeared, leaving a cloud of smoke and one nervous clone, to deal with Neji all alone. Neji jumped into the final one and from a backwards view, all that could be seen was Neji landing into the clone, and the two standing still as the clone disappeared.

Neji stood proud of his keenness and began his journey into the woods I search of his comrades. He stood in the trees at a point high enough to spot any imperfections in the trees, and found only his and his false partners. Finally he heard some noise coming from a different direction so he headed off into that direction. Neji travelled for minutes before the sounds became coherent; "Neji, I'm right here you're with clones" Neji popped out of the woods alone and said to him, "As if I would believe some imposters." "Yeah, well I bet I figured it out sooner." "Kiba, this is no time to argue. We've got to find Rock, but first prove to me you are no clone, and I shall do the same." Kiba slit his finger and showed it to his gray eyed partner. "Clones don't bleed." He boasted. Neji followed suit and then the reunited partnership headed off in the direction Neji's byakugan and Kiba's nose led them. Their tail of silence had been cut and the two noisily trudged through the woods yelling the phrase, "Rock, you're with clones." They finally caught up to Rock and broke through the tendril of leaves and landed upon the sight of Rock on the ground with his mouth covered by the other Neji clone. Neji and Kiba saw this and launched at the two clones with fire in their eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Team Work

Reunited

Neji and Kiba sprung at the false versions of themselves. The fakes dispersed and now the four looked at each other in a faceoff. Meanwhile Rock was still recuperating from being knocked to the ground then introduced to copies of his allies.

"What on earth is the meaning of this?" He shouted to anyone who would take the call. "Those are clones," Kiba answered, "They were sent by Naruto to throw us off his trail. "Nah! They are the clones." The Kiba copy said. "You woke up with us, they just burst in here. Not to mention it's on the space where Naruto camped last night." The two Kibas fought over identity, while the Nejis stood, eyeing each other down. "Enough of this," The new Neji declared, "I know of one way to distinguish the difference. Neji bolted toward his clone, kunai drawn, and took a slash at him. The clone dodged it, "Nice try," He retorted, "But I took many forms of martial arts to deal with the likes of you."

The clone fought back with an intensity that rivaled the original's and now the Kibas joined the battle as well. Twin vs. twin could be seen dueling on the former camp. One Neji would swing a punch that would be countered by the other, who would land a kick. Kiba also had a rough time with his clone, which mirrored him somewhat closely. Amongst the confusion Rock lost sight of who he woke up with and who had just burst in.

The battle slowed long enough for Neji to speak. "This is getting us nowhere." His words were cut off by a projectile from Kiba. He deflected the kunai and began speaking again, 'If we cut ourselves and bleed." Again he was silenced. He now knew what the score was. The only way he'd be able to say what needed to be said was if he defeated one of the clones. He worked his way too Kiba in hopes of teaming up to overpower one clone, but met resistance. Akumaru barged out of the woodwork and made a beeline for Neji. He headed butted Neji sure not to make any slits. "This is the information I needed." Rock bragged. "Kiba has a wolf, the clone doesn't." "That's some great detective work, Captain!" His Neji congratulated him.

Rock vaulted through the air towards his collaborators. There he stood ready to take on the imposters. "Rock, you goof! They took my dog." Kiba woefully expressed, to no avail. Rock and his united team of followers darted towards Neji and Kiba. They fought off attacks from four sides, all the while thinking of a way to prove their innocence. Then it hit him like a slice from a kunai, the answer. "Kiba, stand down." Neji ordered to his dog friend. "What? Why?" "Just do it, Kiba. Trust me, please." Kiba stood down, and halted his defense. The two alleged clones were knocked across the camp where they landed with a thump. "They're down, I'll finish them." Kiba pronounced, but was met with harsh words from Neji. "Clones don't bleed, dumbass." Kiba landed upon him ready to finish the job.

It seems like Neji will face his end at the hands of a clone, while his idiotic partner cheers him on, but finally the wires connect, or the hamster wakes up, or even the light is reignited. Rock was brought to the realization that he had been helping the fakes, and raged out with a force that would even startle a furious Sakura. "You two are the FAKES!" He began his rant, "I'll destroy you with everything I've got." He ended his rant. At that moment Neji grew into a monster, in the eyes of his foes. He pulled out a kunai, and took, what seemed like, one step towards the farthest enemy, Kiba. He grabbed Kiba by the back of the hair and flung him into the air. In the blink of an eye, literally, he was behind Kiba in the air. "YOU DECEIVED ME!" he slashed him down to the ground where he disappeared in a smoke puff, leaving behind a log. In the next second he was behind Akumaru, holding him in the air by his faux tail. "YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!" He slammed Akumaru down to the awaiting ground that disappeared the same way. Then finally he ran, in under a second, to Neji and looked him coldly in the eye. "BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU MADE 'ME' HURT MY FRIENDS." He kicked the phony Neji into the air and met him there. "THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE." Rock kicked the false Neji around the sky for a few minutes, before the guise it wore broke down, and he disappeared mid Kick.

Rock came from the sky to face his injured allies. "Sorry guys. I was a fool." He began to apologize but was cut off by Neji, "Yes, you were, but that is of no concern. The plan was for Naruto to fool us, and apparently it worked, but all that is important is that we survived and learned." "Yeah, nut he fooled me more than anything, and you two got hurt because of it. I had to be rescued from the clones by you two, because I was too oblivious to see through the ruse." Rock stated feeling sorry for himself. "Rock, we have hardly any time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have lost enough time in Naruto's web; let's move out on the trail we actually found last night." "Okay, Neji. I'm sorry." "Yeah whatever just help bandage Kiba and me."

Rock began bandaging his wounded partners then began to say, "Neji, I have something to say to you." "What is it, Rock?" "I believe you should be captain." "Really, why now all of a sudden?" "I was the captain for this fake squad, and look what good that did." "I guess so, but we need full group consent." "Yeah, I say its fine by me." Kiba spoke up. "That was a pretty nice plan you had during the heat of the moment. I couldn't have thought of it." "Well this is great news. I promise to lead this squad into our soon to be captive, and we will take him and win this challenge." With that said the group, now bandaged, headed off into the forest in a random location to find the path of their target, Naruto.


End file.
